Try the political quiz
@ISIDEWITHQuestionsCriminal IssuesPublic SafetyLaw EnforcementPolicingCivil LibertiesKnife crimeRegions: London•••Started 4mos agoActive 11hrs ago

Should the police increase the use of stop-and-search powers to reduce knife crime?

Stop and search allows police officers to detain a person if they have "reasonable grounds" to suspect they are carrying illegal drugs, a weapon, or stolen property. Additionally, Section 60 orders allow officers to search anyone in a specific area without reasonable grounds during anticipated violence. Proponents argue it is a vital proactive tool for deterrence and confiscating knives in a city plagued by youth violence. Opponents argue the tactic is institutionally racist, statistically ineffective at reducing violent crime in the long term, and humiliates innocent young men, further damaging trust in authority.

+
Expand
+ Settings

Toggle voterbase

Statistics are shown for this demographic

Answer Overview

Response rates from 6.8k UK voters.

69%
Yes
31%
No
54%
Yes
21%
No
14%
Yes, but only with strict oversight and body-worn cameras to prevent abuse
6%
No, it disproportionately targets ethnic minorities and destroys trust in the police
1%
Yes, it is the most effective way to immediately get knives off the street
5%
No, treat knife crime as a public health crisis and invest in youth services instead

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 6.8k UK voters.

Loading data...

Loading chart... 

Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 6.8k UK voters.

Loading data...

Loading chart... 

Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from UK voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BF29J5Wanswered…1wk1W

yes but only in certain areas

 @BDHZHYGanswered…1mo1MO

yes if evidence but with body cams to ensure no racism but not random as it targets ethnic minorities

 @BDFVG94answered…2mos2MO

Yes, but still retain reasonable suspicion as a requirement

 @BDBX292answered…2mos2MO

Knife crime isn’t a major issue within the uk and stop and search is often racially targeted other method may be useful in reducing it

 @BCWBVTQanswered…2mos2MO

Yes, and re-arm the normal police officer with firearms.

 @BCR8YKYanswered…2mos2MO

Yes, but only in areas with a knife crime issue.

 @BCP9WRManswered…3mos3MO

Yes, but only for weapons or violence, not for drugs.

 @BC2MHWPanswered…3mos3MO

Yes and those in communities targeted more should realize it is for their own protection, carrying knives is not. More dertector arches outside schools and where young people meet.

Latest News

Stay up-to-date on the most recent “Stop and Search” news articles, updated frequently.

Popular Conversations

Join in on the most popular conversations.

Active 2mos ago

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...…6yrs6Y

Should critical race theory be taught in K-12 education?

No

▲  19.8k6 replies4 agree1 disagree

About This Data

Based on 6.8k responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

Read Our Full Methodology →

Cite Or Embed This Poll

Writing about this issue? Use the live data and link back to the full results.

Cite This Poll

iSideWith. (2026). “Should the police increase the use of stop-and-search powers to reduce knife crime?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 23, 2026, from https://uk.isidewith.com/poll/5548398807

Embed The Live Result

Preview